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About this book
Does compassion have a place in medicine?
Compassion has long been considered a “soft” skill in health care — nice to have, but ultimately unnecessary in a science-driven field. However, recent challenges in delivering care (including but not limited to the global pandemic) have revealed the need for a more compassionate approach to protecting the health and well-being of patients and medical staff alike.
Compassion is a state of being which affects not only psychological health but our physiology. When applied in a pragmatic fashion, compassion can lower stress levels, alleviate anxiety and depression, improve overall physical health, and allow us to navigate challenging situations with more grace. Cutting-edge research is now revealing just how powerful these psychophysiological effects are, and how even basic compassion-based practices can have long-lasting effects on both physical and mental health.
This book will empower you to understand what compassion truly is—and just as importantly, what it isn’t—so you can care for yourself and others at the highest level of integrity, both in and out of clinical situations. Packed with insightful stories, illuminating research, and pragmatic instruction, this book is the definitive guide for healthcare providers who wish to bring more balance and joy to their work every day.
About the Author
Catherine Wergin Schweikert, PhD(c), MPH, PA-C has practiced medicine for 22 years. While earning her Ph.D. in Applied Psychophysiology, she wrote The Compassion Remedy: How to Leverage the Psychophysiological Benefits of Compassion to Beat Burnout, Renew Relationships, and Enjoy Greater Well-Being. She completed a year-long deep dive into applied compassion at Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism and Research (CCARE); it was there that she developed a program for hospitals to apply the scientifically proven and research-based aspects of compassion. Her intention, first and foremost, to improve clinicians’ grounded, compassionate bases so that they may be strong enough to help patients heal without giving away their vitality. Catherine is also a contributor to the Global Compassion Coalition.
Learn more about Catherine’s work at www.pragmaticcompassion.org.
Endorsements
“Expertly written, insightful and timely, The Compassion Remedy is a masterclass on the necessity of compassion in our lives and in the healthcare system. Combining evidence-based research and personal stories, Catherine gives us a step-by-step guide how to increase compassion in ourselves, toward our patients and everyone around us.” - James R. Doty, M.D. founder & director, the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science, and author of the New York Times and international bestseller, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart
“Catherine eloquently describes what compassion truly is - both philosophically and physiologically and guides the reader to find what it means and how it feels to them personally. As a psychophysiologist, I appreciate the need for this book now while people cope with one of the largest existential moments in the history of human emotion.” - Cynthia Kerson, 2(PhD), QEEGD, BCN, BCB Senior Fellow, BCB-HRV Associate Professor, Saybrook University, Department of Applied Psychophysiology
“This book is a must-read! Catherine gives compassion new life grounded in practical application. Her evidence- based research and storytelling illuminate why compassion is accessible and imperative for all.” - Neelama Eyres, Co-Founder and Director, Applied Compassion Training™ (CCARE) at Stanford University
“Compassion is the cure. I, like many, trained in an environment where compassion was viewed as a potential weakness. It was good if carefully reined and was a potential source of weakness; it would prevent the objectivity that modern medicine demands. Along my journey, there have been those that reject the vilifying of compassion and created a space for my own compassion to survive and grow. I have had the good fortune to work alongside Catherine Schweikert for a decade, where she has helped maintain a safe place for compassion in my practice and life. Now, you, too can benefit from her spirit, and learn the evolving knowledge of the scientific basis and personal value of compassion.” - Steven Vilter, MD